Dress to Impress exhibition at Polesden Lacey

Published:: 29 April 2025

Dress to Impress at Polesden Lacey | © National Trust Images

Dress to Impress explores how fashion in art has reflected power and personality throughout history and is inspiring a new generation. The exhibition is open daily in the house at Polesden Lacey, from Friday 2 May until Sunday 2 November 2025, 11am to 3.30pm. Includes opulent costumes by students from Wimbledon College of Arts, BA (Hons) Costume for Theatre and Screen, part of University of the Arts London.

Take a captivating journey through the glamour and extravagance of fashion in art at the National Trust’s Polesden Lacey in Surrey, the former home of Edwardian society hostess, Margaret Greville.

Dress to Impress, a new exhibition presented throughout the house, delves into the way people dressed and explores the coded messages about power, politics, and personality. It looks both at dress and social influence and includes historic fashion displays, new designs, photographs, films and talks.

Fashion in art

Paintings in the exhibition include four recently conserved at the National Trust’s Royal Oak Foundation Conservation Studio at Knole, such as a glamorous portrait by Johann Zoffany of Eva Maria Garrick, 18th century dancer and wife of acclaimed actor David Garrick, dressed in shimmering silk for a masquerade ball.

Meanwhile, the group portrait ‘The Paterson Children’ by Henry Raeburn is among works looking at how children were depicted and how these became less formal in their dress, poses and interactions between siblings.

Photography, and how it captured the way people dressed, is explored with particular focus on the work of early 20th century photographer Alice Hughes.

Portrait painting by Johann Zoffany — Painting of Eva Maria Veigel by Johann Zoffany, at Polesden Lacey | © National Trust Images/John Hammond

Designers of the future

A collaboration with Wimbledon College of Arts, part of University of the Arts London, showcases the next generation of costume design talent.

Eleven final-year students on the College’s prestigious BA (Hons) Costume for Theatre and Screen course have recreated and designed costumes inspired by the fancy dress attire featured in Margaret Greville's photograph album of the 1897 Devonshire House Ball. This opulent event was considered the social highlight of the year, graced by royalty and the aristocracy. The students' intricate pieces can be seen in the central hall and along the balcony.

Please note: The costumes created by the students for the exhibition will tour to Wimbledon College of Arts' free, in person, graduate show from 14 to 21 June, before returning to Polesden Lacey.

Exhibition highlights

Items of costume from Polesden Lacey’s collection are displayed with loans from other National Trust properties and external museums and collectors, including:

A silk embroidered kimono that once belonged to Queen Mary, on loan from the Olive Matthews Dress Collection, Chertsey Museum.
A child’s shirt and breeches, on loan from the Alasdair Peebles collection, are displayed next to the conserved portrait of The Paterson Children by Henry Raeburn; and a recreated red jacket by Graves Historical Uniforms.
An 18th century waistcoat and skirt, on loan from the Fashion Museum, Bath and displayed alongside a recently restored portrait of Eva Maria Garrick.
A man’s fancy dress ball costume, a rare survival from the Victorian period, on loan from the Goodwood Collection.

Dress exhibits from the National Trust’s own collections include a coronation robe from Ickworth celebrating Margaret Greville’s attendance at three coronations, and a Parisian 1920s silk and sequinned ‘flapper’ dress from Scotney Castle.

Other contemporary collaborations offer a film by Serena Dyer, dress historian and author, showing how to dress like a Georgian, and a ruff commissioned from TV and film costume creator Marija Radojicic.

We can’t wait for visitors to experience this journey through fashion and accessories in art. This is not only an opportunity to see gorgeous historic garments and artworks on display but to enjoy films and talks, and to get playful, with replica dress to try on and a chance to pose for your own photographs in Alice Hughes’ recreated photographic studio.

A quote by Alice StricklandNational Trust Curator

Hands on

Polesden Lacey’s Volunteer Textile Group have recreated the dress and opera cloak worn by Margaret Greville in the full-length portrait of her by Carolus-Duran. And hands-on interpretation has been made for the exhibition with fabric swatches and drawings.

Events include talks and tours with fashion historians and activities focused on designing and dressmaking, exploring fabrics of the day. For families, there are sketchbooks, dressing up opportunities and a selfie station for sharing images on social media.

Planning your visit

The full programme of Dress to Impress talks will be available on our events page soon.
The exhibition is on show on the ground and first floor of the house from Friday 2 May until Sunday 2 November 2025. The house is open daily from 11am – 3.30pm and the gardens and grounds from 10am-5pm.
A virtual tour of the upstairs rooms is available to view via a tablet.
No booking necessary, and the exhibition is free to view, however normal property admission price applies (free for National Trust members).
Toilets and baby changing facilities are available.
Please use the buggy park to place buggies before entering the house; hip carriers are available on request.
There are two cafes in Dairy Courtyard and Stable Courtyard with plenty of delicious food; both have indoor and outdoor seating areas with additional picnic benches around the grounds.
There is overflow car park availability if the main car park is full. Please follow the signs. Peak times are usually at the weekends or school holidays between 10am and 1pm.